Salvation
by melodicResonance
Summary: At 7, Hinata & Naruto meet & soon become close friends. After an accident where Naruto unknowingly harms her while trying to save her, Hinata is forbidden to see Naruto because of her serious injury that prevents her from becoming a shinobi. Years pass, & one day they cross paths: Naruto is painfully reminded of the accident, but Hinata doesn't know it was his fault. Read for more!
1. One

**One**

_Who is he, exactly?_

_ Who is that boy, and why is he always alone?_

_ He's just like…me._

* * *

"Hinata-sama, where are you going?"

Hinata stopped in her tracks, already halfway out the door. "I—I want to go train!"

"Train? You're only seven, Hinata-sama. You haven't even started at the Academy yet, that isn't for another few years!"

She pouted a little, but then put on a determined smile. "I know! B-But I want to be strong…I want to make my family proud of me."

"Well—all right. Be back before dinner! Do you want me to accompany y—"

By that time, Hinata had already run off.

* * *

"Ow!"

Naruto rubbed his throbbing temple and frowned at the kunai knife now lying in the dirt at his feet. "How did that hit my head? I threw it towards the target! It must have slipped somehow…" He glared at the target that was about fifteen feet away, then leaned down to retrieve the knife. He was about to throw it again when suddenly he heard slight rustling in the bushes behind him.

"Who's there? Show yourself, fiend!" Naruto whirled around, gripping the kunai tightly in his hand.

When a small girl slowly walked out into the open, he was taken aback, but also a bit disappointed.

"Aw, man," he exclaimed, lowering the kunai knife, "I thought you were a gang of rogue shinobi! I was about to kick their asses!"

"O-Oh," the girl said quietly, "I'm s-sorry."

Naruto calmed down a bit, and then grinned. "It's okay! It'll happen someday, you best believe it!" He peered at her curiously. "Hey, what is your name, anyway? What are you doing here?"

She nervously clasped her hands together. "H-Hinata. I—I wanted to t-t-train here."

"Hinata? Nice to meet ya!" He flashed her that smile of his once more. "I'm training, myself! This is my special area."

Hinata glanced around, still wringing her hands shyly.

"I'm Naruto," he said to her, "and I'm going to be Hokage one day!"

She managed a small smile at him, and slowly unclasped her hands, not feeling as nervous anymore.

_I know who you are_, she thought to herself. _I've seen you before…you're always alone. You cause trouble to bring attention to yourself_.

_Everyone thinks you're dangerous_…

Hinata couldn't exactly pinpoint why she was so fascinated with him, but she was. She had to know more about this boy—she _wanted _to know more about him. So when Naruto eventually asked, "Hey, want to train together? Since you kinda found my special place anyway…"—she surprised herself by saying yes.

* * *

It was getting dark outside, and Hinata gasped, her hands still up in the air posed to strike.

"What's wrong?" Naruto turned around towards her, a perplexed look on his face.

She put her hands down, her eyes wide. "I should already be home! I'm g-going to be in so much trouble…"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll be fine," Naruto reassured her, rolling up his sleeves. "The sun is barely going down!"

Hinata barely heard this, her heart rate quickly rising. She hurriedly picked up her weapon pouch from the ground and bowed her head, her cheeks warm and pink from embarrassment. "I'm sorry—I, I have to go now…"

Naruto nodded, and then grinned at her. "Okay, see you around, Hinata! Don't tell _anyone _about this place!" He waved, and she couldn't help but smile a little.

"I—I won't!" She turned and ran as fast as she could, all the way back home.

_Naruto…as in, that thing in ramen…?_

_ I…I like it._

* * *

"Hinata, you know you're supposed to be home by dinner. What were you doing?"

Hinata cringed a little, nervously fiddling with her chopsticks. Her father had always been intimidating, but he was especially scary when he was disappointed in her. "I-I was training, Oto-san."

He raised an eyebrow, putting down his water. "Training? Why, Hinata, you're only seven."

She sighed—she was tired of constantly hearing that same thing from everyone. Since when did her age determine whether she should work on her shinobi skills or not? "Yes, Oto-san, but I w-want to be the best I can b-be!"

"Well, you still need to be home on time," her father said sternly, as if he hadn't even heard her. "Were you with someone?"

Hinata almost mentioned Naruto, but then remembered how most people acted around him—and realized that her father would probably be no exception.

"No," she lied, taking a sip of water.

Soon the subject was dropped, and dinner went on.

But Naruto was still on her mind for the rest of the evening, even when she finally climbed into bed and fell asleep.


	2. Two

**Two**

The next day, Hinata immediately hopped out of bed and changed into her clothes. She wanted to go see if Naruto was at his special area—and to train some more, of course. She was finding herself more drawn to him than before, and genuinely liked being around him. Why did everyone avoid him like the plague? She felt very puzzled about this, especially after meeting him herself.

"Hinata-sama, going out again today?"

"Yes," she replied, holding onto the door, one foot already outside. "I promise to be back on time today!" Before her guardian could say anything else, she sprinted away, not wanting to hear any objections to this. Hopefully her father would be in a better mood today.

When she reached the clearing in the forest, she was surprised to find that Naruto was indeed there, but looking a bit dirty and very tired.

"Hinata!" He raised a hand to acknowledge her, and grinned. "You here to train again today?"

When she saw the dark circles beneath his eyes, and the scratches all over his arms, she frowned. "N-Naruto…you've…been here all night…?"

He was still grinning from ear to ear, and playfully tried to laugh it off, as if her question was silly. "Well, yeah," he answered, "I was really trying to work on something, and time just slipped away from me! It's no big deal, really—I feel fine!"

Hinata took her eyes off of the scratches and looked at his face, with that bright smile of his, but she could still see the exhaustion behind it.

"Okay—maybe I am tired. Just a little." Naruto stretched and laid himself out in the grass. "You can take a break with me, if you want!"

She watched him place his arms behind his head, and then walked over to join him.

"Naruto…"

"Hmm?" His eyes were closed, and he was humming to himself a little.

"Weren't…your parents, worried about you?"

"Huh?"

"About…you not coming home last night."

He stopped humming, and his eyes slowly opened. "I don't have parents."

"Oh…" Hinata glanced up at the sky, embarrassed. "I—"

"They died. I never knew them…" He trailed off, staring at the sky as well. "I live by myself."

She felt her heart sink, sorry she had said anything. "I—I didn't know…I'm s-sorry."

For a minute he didn't say anything, and she wondered if she had upset him. She snuck a peek at his face, and saw that there was no sign of anger or even sadness.

"It's all right. I'm…used to it. Being alone." He shifted a little, getting up to lean on one elbow, and turned to look at her, changing the subject. "Hey, Hinata, you know what?"

"W-What?" She looked at him, and then noticed how blue his eyes were. _Whoa_, she thought, _brighter than the sky_.

"No one's really talked to me—or stayed around me—this long. They run away, or make fun of me." He smiled at her, and for some reason she grew nervous. "But not you! Thanks, Hinata."

Hinata felt her face grow warm. _No one has ever said thanks to me before. I'm usually scolded at, or reprimanded_… "I—"

"You know what?" Naruto sat up, and then held out a pinky towards her. "Let's be friends. Maybe even best friends. Okay?"

She looked at him, her eyes wide in surprise. The she couldn't help but smile, and found herself wrapping her own pinky around his.

"Okay."

* * *

Naruto had ended up falling asleep for a while, and Hinata took this time to work on her training.

But she was distracted, and eventually gave up for the rest of the day, lying down in the grass next to the sleeping Naruto. She desperately attempted to rein in all of her wandering thoughts, but found that she couldn't.

As she lay in bed later that night, she once again found herself curiously dwelling on Naruto.

_We're…friends_.

_Good friends. Best friends, maybe_.

Just like him, this was a first for her—having a close friend—and she already liked how it felt. She was used to being alone most of the time, even when she was at home.

_Naruto_…


	3. Three

**Three**

"_No…mom…dad…please don't go! I don't want to be alone anymore—"_

Naruto woke up with a start, his eyes teary. He blinked a few times and took in a deep breath before realizing that it had been a dream.

The sun was barely rising into the sky, casting a reddish-orange hue through the window. It was a lot earlier than when he usually woke up, but he no longer felt tired.

After getting dressed and having a small breakfast, Naruto headed towards the lake instead of his special training grounds. For once, he didn't feel up for anything today—at least, for now.

_I normally just blow it off_, he thought to himself as he skipped some stones across the still water. _But for some reason, I can't right now_.

He watched the sun rise higher into the sky, suddenly feeling very alone.

* * *

"Hinata, I'm not so sure how I feel about this."

"A-About what?"

Hinata had woken up a bit earlier than usual, and was immediately about to race out the door when she ran into her father.

"You disappearing every day, from dawn until dusk. Where exactly do you go?"

She held her breath, remembering her promise to keep Naruto's special place a secret. But her father was staring at her, looking as stern as ever, and she knew that she had to say something.

"I'm training," she said, "remember, I told you, oto-san?"

"Yes, I am fully aware," he replied, "but _where_, Hinata."

She nervously held onto the sleeves of her jacket, feeling the fabric bunch up in her hands. "I-It's, in the forest. But not too far from the town."

For a moment her father didn't say anything, and she wondered if he was angry or upset—it always seemed like he was, especially at her, but she could never really tell.

"And you're alone?"

She looked up at him when he finally spoke, and slowly let go of her sleeves. "Y-Yes."

"I'm not sure that's really a good idea, Hinata," he told her, "why won't you let yourself be accompanied by someone?"

"I'm fine, really, oto-san," she replied reassuringly. "Besides, I need to learn to fend for myself anyway…right?"

He sighed. "Yes, but why can't you just do your training here, like Hanabi?"

_Hanabi…it's always about her_.

"I-I'm not Hanabi. I, I want to become really strong! I can't do that here. I feel trapped." She could feel her voice wavering and eyes watering, though she didn't really understand why.

"Hinata—"

"No…oto-san, you would never understand." She turned away, wiping at her eyes. _Why do I feel so upset all of a sudden_?

She walked away, but then started to run once she got out of her yard.

* * *

Naruto wasn't there when Hinata reached their usual spot in the forest. She lingered around for a bit, wondering if he was maybe still sleeping, but eventually gave up. Instead of returning home, however, she found herself heading towards the lake, not in the mood for any training.

She took a seat on a large boulder by the water, suddenly feeling very tired and alone.

"Hey, Hinata! What cha doing here?"

She perked up when she heard that familiar voice, and saw Naruto standing off to the side of the boulder, nearby. "N-N-Naruto!"

He had a hand behind his head, and was grinning at her. But something was off. His smile wasn't reaching his eyes. He looked even more exhausted than he had the other day. Hinata forgot about her own feelings momentarily, and felt herself feeling sorry for him. She wondered what was troubling him so much.

"Sorry for surprising you—mind if I join you up there?"

She nodded, and couldn't help but smile a little as he climbed up the boulder to sit next to her.

"Um…Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"May I ask…why are you here? Instead of the usual s-spot."

He was glancing out across the water, which had slight ripples and waves from the gentle breeze that was blowing. "I had a dream. About…my parents."

Hinata turned away from the lake to look over at him. "Your parents—"

"Yeah. Sometimes I see them in my dreams, and then I…I just, get really lonely. Normally I'm okay, but—"

"I'm sorry." She didn't really know what else to say, and wanted to give him a hug. Or do something. But she didn't. "I—I get alone t-too."

"Really, you?" Now Naruto was looking at her, genuinely surprised. "But you have your family…and people don't think you're a monster."

"You're not a monster!" Hinata accidentally burst out, and then blushed, embarrassed. "You're amazing, N-Naruto. I—I admire you, your determination." She glanced away from him, her heart racing. _W-Wait, what am I saying?_...

"Hinata…I—"

Naruto didn't get to finish his sentence. The ground began to rumble, and the water was bubbling. Suddenly a huge figure burst out of the lake, and large waves splashed at them, threatening to wash them away.

The figure resembled a giant eel with sharp spines running down its back. When it turned around, its beady red eyes immediately locked onto them, and it let out a bloodcurdling screech.


	4. Four

**Four**

"I've got this," Naruto declared, rolling up his sleeves. "You go on ahead and get out of here!"

Hinata stood there, eyes wide but determined to stay put where she was. "No, I'm not going anywhere! I can't just leave you, here to—"

"Hinata, please—"

It was then that the creature swung its tail at them, but Naruto grabbed Hinata and leaped out of the way just in time. He carefully set Hinata down and pulled out a kunai knife.

"Looks like things are getting serious now," he remarked, "but I can handle this by myself!"

"N-Naruto, wait—"

The creature swung at them again, but they dodged the blow and took momentary refuge in a nearby tree. Hinata wanted to help Naruto, but she didn't even have a full handle on her Byakugan yet. She was useless, despite all of her training attempts.

"Take this!" Naruto threw the kunai at the creature's face, but it merely scraped by the skin near its eye. It let out another agitated screech and the waves grew larger from its movements in the water.

"Naruto, we should just run and get h-help," Hinata said, pulling on his arm a little. "We're going to get killed!"

He wasn't responding—he didn't even turn around. "N-N-Naruto?"

Suddenly there was a burst of orange light, and flames shot out in every direction from his body. His eyes were no longer blue, but a ferocious red-orange. The creature shrieked in the fiery inferno, and slowly disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

Hinata collapsed to the ground, unconscious. She had been caught up in some of the flames, unable to get out of the way in time. It had all happened so suddenly.

Naruto's eyes gradually returned back to their blue hue, and he fell to his knees, exhausted.

"W-what…what happened?" He glanced around, in a daze, and then saw Hinata's limp body. "Hinata?...Hinata!" He gently shook her. "Are you okay? Wake up!" He stopped, and then leaned over to pick her up.

"Hold on, Hinata," he said, "I've got you. You're going to be okay."

* * *

"That's the thing," Naruto said, wincing as the nurse bandaged up his burns and cuts. "I don't know what happened! I can't remember—it felt like, I was someone else…"

"Or something else," the third Hokage interrupted, a grave look on his face.

"Wait…what?" Naruto glanced over at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You are aware of the nine-tailed fox that is sealed within you, correct?"

"Yeah…" Naruto wasn't sure of where he was getting at. "And?"

"Well, it looks like the danger of the situation must have triggered some of the fox's powers to awaken…that explains why you are so badly burned."

"These don't hurt," Naruto retorted, and then winced a little, slowly putting his arm back down. "Much."

"And that also explains your disorientation," the third Hokage said, ignoring this. "He was in control of you for a bit. It could get worse from here…this is not a good sign."

Naruto frowned, and then remembered something important. "So, Hinata…is she okay? Is that was she was hurt?..."

The old man sighed, looking him straight in the eye. "I'm afraid yes—she was pretty badly burned, as well. But you weren't in your right mind—"

"I should have listened to her," Naruto said quietly, "it's all my fault…even if I didn't know what I was doing, I still should have left like she said to before…none of this would have happened in the first place." He stared down at his bandaged hands, hating himself and what he carried inside of him.

"It isn't your fault. You didn't make the nine-tails hurt Hinata. Besides, if you hadn't reacted in the way that you did, neither of you would even be here right now—alive."

Naruto barely heard this, closing his eyes in exhaustion. "When can I see her?"

"Not anytime soon, I'm afraid."

_Hinata_…

_I'm so sorry_.

* * *

An entire day passed before Hinata gained consciousness. When she woke up, her body was stinging all over—especially her face. She noticed that most of her body was wrapped in bandages, and slowly began to remember everything that had happened.

_There was fire_…

_Naruto_…

_Where is Naruto_?

She winced in pain as she sat up in the bed, glancing around the room. Naruto was nowhere to be seen.

The third Hokage and a nurse walked into the room, and she slowly sank back down into the pillows.

"Looks like you're finally awake—how are you feeling?"

Hinata turned to look at them. "Where's Naruto? I-Is he okay?"

They both glanced at each other, and then back at her. "He's fine." Then the nurse spoke up, before she could say anything else.

"Miss Hyuuga…there's something you need to know."

She looked up from her bandaged hands, not liking the expressions on their faces. Her heart began to race as she waited in nervous anticipation. "W-What?"

The nurse took in a deep breath. "It turns out that the damage from the fire didn't just affect you externally, but internally as well.

"Miss Hyuuga-sama…I'm afraid that you can no longer be a shinobi."


	5. Five

**Five**

Hinata stared at them, not sure she was hearing the nurse's words correctly. Maybe her hearing was damaged somehow, too. "What did you s-say…?"

"The burns you received are so severe, that they damaged some of your nerves and chakra points—luckily, not your vital ones. But the damage is especially bad in your face…it had ruined your ability to perform your Byakugan anymore."

Hinata felt numb as she heard this. It felt hard to breath. This was her worst nightmare come true.

"N-N-No, there must be some kind of mistake," she said, her voice wobbling as her eyes filled with tears. "P-Please…don't joke around like this with me."

But when she saw the look in their eyes as she said this, she knew that this very well was not a joke.

* * *

Later that day, Hinata's father, accompanied by one of her guardians, made an appearance at the hospital—and he was _not _happy.

"Oto-san? Why are you—"

"Where is he? Where is that damned fox kid?" He burst into Hinata's room angrily, and she cringed at his loud voice.

"It—it wasn't Naruto's fault!"

Her father stopped, and set his steely gaze on her.

"Oh really? Then who did this to you? Who ruined my daughter's future, and tarnished the family name?"

She clenched her fists, even though it stung. "N-Naruto is my friend!"

He took in a deep breath, trying to control his outrage. "A friend wouldn't have done this to you."

Hinata opened her mouth to fight back some more, but he held up his hand and she immediately grew quiet. "You lied to me, Hinata," he said, a bit more calmly. "You were with this boy every day, putting yourself in danger the more you hung around him.

"He is just a boy, but that doesn't change the fact that he holds a monster inside of him. He can't control that foul demon…and now, because of that your chances of being a shinobi are gone."

"Oto-san—"

"I don't want you around him anymore," her father interrupted, his voice a little louder now. "He's already done enough damage. I can't let him do anymore to you."

"But, I—"

"Hinata."

She slowly unclenched her fists, and felt mortified as a tear found its way down her cheek. She quickly wiped it out of sight, and took in a shaky breath.

"Yes, oto-san."

* * *

Naruto woke up from his nap with a slight headache. He slowly sat up in the bed and then realized that he wasn't alone.

"Hinata?"

She was covered in bandages, just like he was—but she looked much worse than him.

_It's my fault_.

"N-N-Naruto…" She burst into tears.

"Hinata! What's wrong?" He reached out and placed his hand on her arm. "Why are you out of bed?"

She sniffled, and he handed her a few tissues. She couldn't even look directly at him.

"M-My father said I—I can't see y-you anymore…"

His eyebrows scrunched together. "What?"

"He blames this on you—that, I-I can't be a s-s-shinobi…" She wiped her face with a tissue, staring blankly at the wall.

"What do ya mean, can't be a shinobi?" Naruto frowned, and then tapped her on the shoulder. "Hinata, why aren't you looking at me?" She finally turned around, and he was taken aback at how much damage was done to her face…

_Hinata_…_I'm so sorry_.

"I c-can't do Byakugan. I, I can't do anything. The a-accident caused too much damage on m-m-me."

He felt his heart sink even further, and his hands began to tremble. "No…"

She was looking at him, the pain in her eyes real. "I can't be your friend anymore, N-Naruto…"

He let go of her arm, and they both cried, together for what would be the last time in a while.

* * *

Eventually Hinata was released from the hospital, and so was Naruto.

She still wasn't allowed out of the house.

"You're still healing," her father would tell her, unaware that he had taken away her happiness.

There was no escape. She could do nothing but be reminded of her painful predicament, and the fact that she had lost her only friend. She could hardly sleep, because when she did, she had nightmares. She was exhausted. But most of all, she felt alone—more than ever.

Days passed. Every day remained the same.

All she could do was lie here and watch.

* * *

Naruto couldn't sleep.

He kept dreaming of turning into the nine-tails, killing Hinata and then the entire village.

The moonlight poured into the room from the window, and he buried his head into his pillow.

_"You're not a monster!"_

_ "You're amazing, N-Naruto. I—I admire you, your determination."_

_ "I can't be your friend anymore, N-Naruto…"_

"Please," he said out loud, desperately trying to drown out his thoughts. "Please just please…leave me alone. I'm…used to it. I can be alone again."

This sounded pitiful rather than reassuring, and Naruto knew that he was lying to himself.


	6. Six

**Six**

_-Nine years later-_

Naruto put down his chopsticks into his now-empty bowl, placing a hand on his full belly. "So full! What a meal." After letting the ramen settle a bit in his stomach, he headed back towards home, ready for bed already. It had been a long day, and he was beyond exhausted. It was starting to get dark, and the village was beginning to settle down for the night.

He was almost to his place, when suddenly he felt someone push into him from behind.

"O-Oh! I am so sorry…"

He turned around to see who had bumped into him, and his eyes slowly widened when he saw the dark-haired girl sprawled on the ground. "…is that you…Hinata?"

The girl froze, and slowly glanced up at him.

"N-N-Naruto…kun?"

Those were the same lavender eyes—the same expression—as back then. Naruto knew that this was no mistake. It was definitely her.

"I, I'm sorry…here, let me help you up." He held out his hand towards her, palm up. She looked at it, and then carefully took it in her own letting him pull her back to her feet.

"I'm really s-sorry," she said quietly, staring at the ground. "I—I accidentally tripped, a-and—"

"It's okay." Naruto let go of her hand, and absentmindedly dusted off his pants. There was awkward silence, and Hinata shyly glanced away everything but Naruto. Then, he decided to lighten the mood.

"How have you been? I haven't seen you in ages." He gave her a small smile, and she finally looked up at him, her cheeks flushed.

"I-I've been all right," she replied softly, clasping her hands together. "I help Lady Tsunade with whatever I can…that doesn't involve me needing to battle or whatnot."

_That's right_, Naruto remembered, _I almost forgot_…

_I had ruined her life_.

His heart felt heavy, and he cast his eyes downward, unable to look at her. It was best that they continued to stay away from each other, but he didn't want to say this out loud. Not after they were finally reuniting since nine long years have passed.

"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata was peering at him carefully, concerned. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you when I bumped into you?"

He took a deep breath, trying to pull himself together. "S-Sorry. I'm fine, don't worry." _But you're not fine…how have you been coping, all these years? I can't even imagine_…

She let out a small sigh of relief. "Thank goodness…I'm really sorry. I need to pay more attention—"

"Hinata?"

"Huh?" She stopped, turning her gaze onto him. She looked so different now—long hair, a lot prettier…Naruto almost lost his train of thought.

"…never mind."

"O-Oh. Okay." She looked to the ground, and then smiled a little. "It was n-nice running into you again…"

"Literally."

She laughed , and he loved the sound. "Maybe—we should be friends again. We could…right?"

He was surprised. He hadn't expected this. He almost said yes, he really wanted to—but then stopped.

_"…I-I can't be a s-s-shinobi…"_

_ "The a-accident caused too much damage on m-m-me."_

_ It's my fault._

_ It's all my fault._

_ I'm no good for her. Or anyone._

The pain from all of the memories was unbearable. Naruto squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists, desperately trying to forget…

He felt a gentle touch on his shoulder. "Naruto-kun?" His heart rate gradually calmed down, and he opened his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said, trying to hide all of the emotions in his voice. "We can't do that. In fact—you'd be better off not knowing me, or being around me—ever again."

Hinata slowly let go of him. "Why are you saying t-this? I—"

"Because I'm dangerous!" Naruto shouted, unable to keep calm anymore. "I could've killed you. I could kill you now! It if wasn't for me…you would still have your Byakugan. I ruined your life, Hinata. I'm a monster…it's no wonder people stay away from me. And you should, too."

She continued to stare at him, at a loss for words. She felt a little hurt, but was more confused than anything. "Why…you, it wasn't your fault, Naruto-kun…you didn't do anything. You didn't ruin my life."

He looked away, trying desperately not to make any eye contact. "Hinata—please. Just stay away from me."

Hinata watched as he walked away, wanting to chase after him. But she didn't.

_Why do I feel like he took a part of me with him_?

As cliché as it sounded, she knew that deep down inside, it was true.


	7. Seven

**Seven**

Hinata dreamed about a demon fox. And fire, lots of burning flames surrounding her. She wanted to cry out for help, but she couldn't.

She woke up out of breath, her heart throbbing loudly in her ears. A nervous sweat was on her back, and she closed her eyes in attempts to recollect herself.

_Why does Naruto keep saying this is his fault?_

_ He wouldn't hurt anyone here_.

Hinata slowly climbed out of bed, suddenly feeling depressed. She had to get out of the house before she went completely crazy. After getting dressed quickly, she was out the door in a matter of minutes.

* * *

Naruto hadn't slept at all last night.

Instead, he wallowed in his misery out by the lake—even on that same boulder that he had sat with Hinata on, many years ago…

That time felt like ages ago. It seemed so far behind him, so out of reach—but was it, really? Now, he didn't seem so sure. It was all threatening to resurface again, after he had spent all these years working so hard to get it out of his mind and bury it deep within him to be slowly forgotten.

He threw a pebble out into the water, desperately trying to clear his mind. But his encounter with Hinata last night was constantly replaying in his head, and it only made him feel worse.

He was about to throw another pebble when suddenly, he realized that he wasn't alone.

"Why are you here, Sai," he sighed, this more of a statement rather than a question. He let go of the pebble and turned to look down at the dark-haired boy, a bit miffed that someone was catching him like this.

Sai closed up his sketchbook and aimed his usual friendly smile at Naruto. "Oh, I was over there by those trees drawing and then noticed that you were over here alone, sulking."

"I'm no sulking," Naruto argued, his eyebrows drawing together in slight annoyance. He just wanted to be left alone…

"Are you sure about that?" Sai was no longer smiling, watching him a bit more carefully. He tucked one of his pencils that he had been holding behind his ear.

"Dammit, Sai, I'm really not in the mood right now to be playing any silly games like this." Naruto uncrossed his arms and picked up another pebble, chucking it into the lake in irritation. He was about to get up and just leave—he need food, and sleep—when Sai interrupted him.

"You know, it isn't good to bottle up things."

Naruto scoffed at him, and leaped down from the boulder. " Like hell I would tell you anything. I'm fine, really." He turned away, ready to get out of there.

"It's her, isn't it?"

He stopped in his tracks, whirling around to glare at Sai.

"I don't know who you're talking about."

"Hinata…you know, she cares about you too."

Naruto's face softened a bit at the mention of her name, but then he glanced down at the ground defiantly. "What would you know about it?"

"I know what happened between you two."

"How?"

"Some people may have mentioned it."

"Sai, look here—"

"No, Naruto, _YOU_ look," Sai said, a bit exasperated. "Even I can tell these things…you love her. That's why you won't let her be near you anymore, because you can't bear the thought of unintentionally killing—"

"Shut up," Naruto interrupted, his blood boiling. "You don't know anything! How would you know how I feel? You're normal! How about you just butt out." He turned and stomped away, now fuming. _Love her? Me, love Hinata?_

_ How ridiculous_.

Sai stood there and merely watched, still confident in his observations.

_It'll all come to him, eventually_.

* * *

Hinata joined up with Tenten for lunch, tired of being alone and isolated most of the day. Some of her depression from earlier was beginning to wear off, but for the most part it was still bothering her. Since she wasn't exactly good at hiding this, Tenten noticed almost immediately that something wasn't right.

"Hinata, are you doing okay? You're not really eating."

Hinata's eyes widened, and she picked up her chopsticks. "O-Oh! S-S-Sorry." She took a bite of rice, and then reached over for her glass of water.

Tenten slowly raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're all right? Something seems to really be on your mind."

"Oh, it's n-nothing, really," Hinata reassured her, planting a small smile on her face. Tenten was still looking at her suspiciously. "W-What?"

"I know what it is."

Hinata took a gulp of water nervously. "You d-do?"

"Yep." Tenten slowly grinned at her. "It's a guy, isn't it! Tell me, who is this guy that you love?"

Hinata nearly spit out her water. "What?" _L-Love? Guy_? Then she thought of Naruto, the source of her depression in the first place, and turned red. _Me, love Naruto—do I?_

She burst out laughing, and then Tenten looked confused.

_That's—that's just, silly. Not possible_.


	8. Eight

**Eight**

"_I'm Naruto, and I'm going to be Hokage one day!"_

_ "It's all right. I'm…used to it. Being alone."_

_ "Hold on, Hinata, I've got you. You're going to be okay._"

* * *

"Hinata?"

"Hmm." She buried herself deeper into the covers, wondering if she was still dreaming—but the voice she was hearing was no longer Naruto's. She turned to face the other way, hoping that maybe whoever it was would go away.

"Hinata. I know you're awake." The unwanted visitor was touching her on the arm now. Hinata slowly rolled over and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before opening them.

"…Hanabi?"

She was surprised to find her sister staring back at her. They weren't exactly close, since Hanabi always seemed to be her father's favorite.

"Hi."

Hinata stretched out her arms and legs, before finally sitting up. "What—are you doing here?"

Hanabi had a small smile on her face at first, but now looked more concerned than anything. "I need to talk to you."

Hinata looked up at her, still in a state of surprise. They never needed to talk about anything. Most of the time, she didn't even see her sister. Why would they need to talk now?

"I—I've been noticing that you've been, kind of out of it lately."

Suddenly the sound of pouring rain could be heard from outside. Hinata fiddled with the edge of her blanket. "Y-You've…noticed?"

Hanabi nodded, still looking at her. "Are you—still sad about what happened—nine years ago?"

Hinata took in a deep breath, seeing where this was going. "Hanabi, I really don't—"

"You know, I'm sorry…I really am."

"Huh?" Hinata turned her eyes to look at her, caught off guard.

"I'm sorry you can't be a shinobi," Hanabi said quietly, looking down at her hands. "I really thought you were eventually going to surpass me, so I even got jealous…but then the accident happened, and now…it just doesn't seem fair."

"Jealous? Of me?" Hinata couldn't believe her ears. "Why would you be? You're way better than I am! Father likes you the best! In his eyes, I'm just a failure." Now she was frustrated, trying to hold back feelings that she'd kept bottled up within herself for a while.

"Oh Hinata…you know that's not true." Hanabi's eyes turned a bit sad, and this made Hinata grow quiet again. "But that's not why I'm here."

"Then why?"

"I know that you and that nine-tails boy were close—"

"N-Naruto-kun?" To Hinata, saying and hearing his name felt like daggers in her heart.

"And father forbid you to see him again…"

All of the memories came rushing back painfully, and Hinata wanted to cover her ears. She didn't want to be hearing this right now. But she stayed quiet and continued to listen.

"You've been depressed ever since," Hanabi remarked, unclasping her hands. "You may have tucked it all away over the years—but you haven't truly forgotten. You miss him, more than you want to admit."

"I'm fine." Hinata put on her best poker face, not wanting to give in to her emotions—especially in front of her sister.

"You love him…don't you."

It wasn't a question. Hinata felt her heart begin to beat faster, but couldn't understand why. "I—"

"It's okay—it's kind of obvious." Hanabi gave her a small smile. "You know, you shouldn't be afraid of father anymore. Or even what's inside of Naruto. If you really love him…nothing else matters."

Hinata blushed, mortified. "N-No, that's not—I don't love N-Naruto—"

Hanabi stood up, not buying it. "Hinata, when are you going to stop lying to yourself? Why be all sad and mopey when you can go and be happy, finally?"

Before Hinata could say another word, her younger sibling had already left the room, and she felt more confused than ever.

_Hanabi…actually cares?_

_ No_, she thought as she slowly climbed out of bed, _forget THAT_.

_Why the hell does everyone keep on insisting that I love Naruto_?

* * *

Naruto groggily answered the door, not even bothering to check who it was first.

"Yo, lazy ass," Shikamaru greeted him as soon as he opened the door.

"Hey!" Naruto's eyebrows scrunched together. "Rude. What do you want?"

"I've been sent to check in on you," he replied, "a few of us have noticed that you aren't exactly…yourself lately."

_Damn Sai_. "What do you mean? I'm fine. I don't have to be happy-go-lucky all the freakin' time." Naruto leaned against the doorway and yawned, still sleepy. Just when he was finally able to get some sleep…

"All right, here's the real reason I bothered taking time out of my day to come to your doorstep." Shikamaru uncrossed his arms, looking half-bored like always. "Some of us guys are gonna have dinner later, at the barbeque place Choji likes so much. You're coming, right, Uzumaki?"

"I—"

"Cool." Shikamaru was already walking away with an unlit cigarette in his mouth, waving without even looking back. "See ya."

Naruto sighed to himself as he watched him go, and then slowly headed back inside.


	9. Nine

**Nine**

"Where is he? I thought you said he was coming."

"I don't know," Shikamaru answered, reaching over for the sake bottle. "But he needs to loosen up a bit. Naruto's a bit of a basket case at the moment—he looked like hell when I saw him earlier." He filled up his glass and took a drink. "Troublesome."

"Is he really still bothered by—you know—that accident?" Choji took a huge bite of barbecued pork, immediately stuffing in some rice afterwards. "Even though it happened years ago…"

"How could he forget that?" Neji said, his eyebrows furrowing together. "It ruined my cousin's life—her future." He took a sip of water, not really eating anything. "I know it wasn't completely Uzumaki's fault, but still…our family has placed the blame on him for it, and I'm sure he doesn't feel all that great about it, either."

"It's not exactly something that can be forgotten, even with time," added Lee, putting down his chopsticks. "I—"

"There he is!" Kiba interrupted, and Akamaru barked, his tail wagging.

Naruto saw them, and gave a sheepish wave. "Sorry I'm a bit late, guys," he said, sitting down in the empty seat next to Shino.

"Good thing you got here now—Choji's just about eaten all of the meat!" Kiba gave Choji a disapproving look, and quickly grabbed a hunk of barbecued beef.

"Is that sake?" Naruto rubbed his eyes tiredly, and pushed his empty glass forward. "Shika, hit me up with some."

Shikamaru looked at him for a moment before finally filling his glass. Naruto polished it off in one gulp and held out his glass for more. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, but obliged.

"You gonna eat anything?" he asked, eyeing the blonde as he yet again finished the glass of sake. Now the others were watching as well, their conversations slowly subsiding.

Naruto reached for the sake bottle now, shaking his head. "Nah…I'm not really hungry."

"Should you really be drinking this much, Uzumaki?" Neji remarked, as Naruto downed the rest of the bottle and asked the waiter for another one.

"What is _wrong _with you?" Kiba looked at him questioningly. Akamaru barked as if to ask this same question, and then whined a little, looking at Naruto.

"I'm fine guys, believe it," Naruto replied, giving them a half-smile. "I'm just really thirsty."

* * *

About forty-five minutes and three sake bottles later, Shikamaru had finally had enough.

"Shit, Naruto, you gonna drink until you die?" He pried the bottle and glass out of Naruto's clumsy grip. "He's definitely done for the night—we should get him home."

"Home?" Naruto hiccupped, and the aggressively pointed a finger crookedly at Lee. "I ain't going home, Kiba!"

Neji shook his head and sighed. "Yeah…he's gone."

"Choji, help me get him up," Shikamaru said, grabbing Naruto's arm. Naruto began to squirm, and now everyone in the restaurant was watching them with interest.

"Dammit, let go of me!" Naruto cried, struggling to get out of their grasp. His face was turning redder by the minute, making his blue eyes really stand out on his face. They were wide with frustration and a determination to get the hell out of there. "I just remembered, I h-have to go somewhere!"

Shino glanced at the others, just as puzzled as they were. "Where?"

"None of your damn business!" Naruto wiggled out of their grasp at last, and broke into a run—impressive for being intoxicated. He began to sprint once he got out of the restaurant, disappearing around the corner.

"Troublesome bastard." Shikamaru muttered under his breath. He immediately ran out the door behind him, and the others soon followed.

* * *

Hinata collapsed onto her bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, closing her eyes.

_It's been such a long day_, she thought to herself, yawning a little. _I'm exhausted. I've been all over the place today_…

Just as she was finally comfortable and about to fall asleep, there was a noise coming from her window—or noises, rather. At first, she ignored it, thinking that maybe it was her imagination running wild due to her exhaustion. But the noises continued.

_Tap, tap_. Silence. _Tap. Tap. Tap, tap_.

Hinata sat up in bed, now a bit frightened. What on earth was going on? It sounded like someone was throwing stuff at the window…

She carefully got up and stood by the window, trying to see who—or what—was the source of the racket. She couldn't see very well, so she slowly opened up the window and poked her head out, looking down at the grass below. The area was dimly lit, thanks to a single lamppost that stood near the tall tree by her window. She gasped when she finally saw the person who had been causing all of the noise. It was someone she would have never guessed, especially now.

"Na…N-N-Naruto…kun?"

"Hinata! I f-finally found you…" Naruto dropped the remaining pebbles that were in his hand onto the ground, and waved at her. He had on a huge grin, the one that made Hinata want to melt. (She didn't know why.) "Is it okay if I come up there?"

She blinked in disbelief. Maybe she had fallen asleep after all, and maybe this was a dream…

But it couldn't be. These feelings that were swirling around in chaos within her, they felt very real. She couldn't help but smile back at him, and opened up the window a bit wider.

"Sure," she replied, feeling happier than she had felt in the past few days. She wasn't even thinking about anyone hearing them and catching them, or getting into trouble. Nothing mattered except for this very moment. "Come right on up."


	10. Ten

**Ten**

Naruto surprisingly climbed up the tree with little trouble. It was when he reached the window that he stumbled a bit and fell through, knocking Hinata right onto her bed.

"S-Sorry, Hinata!" He propped himself up onto his elbows, his face inches from hers. Hinata's eyes met his, and when she realized how close they were, her heart started racing. She could feel the warmth of his body against hers, and his breathing…

Suddenly, she crinkled her nose a little. "N-Naruto-kun…have you…been drinking?"

"O-Of course not!" Naruto rolled off of Hinata onto the bed, placing his hands behind his head. "I wanted to see you, Hinata." His eyes closed, and Hinata noticed his flushed face—at first, she was perplexed as to why he was acting like nothing had happened between them—but now understood why.

Still, she had been the one he thought of, even with alcohol in his system…it had to mean something, right?

"Hinata?"

She glanced over at him, his bright blue eyes now focused on her. Her heart was still beating nearly out of her chest from earlier, and she still couldn't understand why being around Naruto lately was making her so nervous.

"I really like you," he said, and Hinata nearly stopped breathing. "You're the only one who understands me…" He trailed off, yawning and closing his eyes again. "I'm really glad you're around."

She exhaled slowly, calming down a bit. _I suppose I'll just go along with it_. "Oh, it's nothing, Naruto-kun." She sat up now, watching him. He looked so tired—he had always looked tired ever since she had known him. Suddenly, she felt very sorry for him.

"It's c-cold." Naruto brought her out of her reverie, curling up into a ball. Hinata didn't think it was cold at all, but then again she hadn't consumed any sake. She retrieved her blanket that had fallen to the floor and gently placed it over him. His face relaxed a little, and before she let go of the blanket he took her hand in his, his grip tight and desperate.

"Please…" He was whispering now. "Hinata, stay with me. I need you…"

The sudden change in his mood and voice surprised Hinata—he had seemed so carefree earlier. She almost forgot that he was still holding onto her hand. Before she could say anything, she realized that he was fast asleep. There was a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

_He doesn't mean any of this_, she thought as she carefully let go of his hand and climbed into bed next to him. _He probably doesn't even know what he's saying. It's just the alcohol affecting him_.

Even as she closed her eyes, she could still feel the warmth of Naruto's hand around hers.

* * *

When Naruto woke up, it was still dark outside. He had a massive headache.

_Where am I_? He slowly sat up, and then realized that someone was next to him. "Hina—" He stopped, seeing that she was asleep.

_Why am I here_? He rubbed his temple, trying desperately to recall the events of yesterday. _I was with the guys…I drank a lot, because I felt like crap and…_ Suddenly his eyes widened.

"Shit." Now he remembered—sort of. _I remember running out of the restaurant, but after that_… He glanced over at Hinata, watching as she calmly slept, quietly breathing in and out. Seeing her face and how peaceful she looked, he momentarily forgot his predicament. He found himself slowly reaching out to her, wanting to touch her smooth face.

_What am I doing…_? He pulled his hand back, and carefully climbed out of bed, doing his best not to wake Hinata up. _I have to get out of here_.

Before he stepped out the window, he found himself looking back at Hinata. Half of him wanted to stay—he didn't know why—but he did know that he couldn't. He didn't remember what he had said to her last night, but he didn't want to cause any further damage.

"I'm sorry, Hinata," he said softly, "but this is for your own good." He slipped out the window and jumped down onto the ground below from the tree.

_You don't need me_, he thought as he glanced up at the window one last time. But then he realized something else.

**I **_need you_.

* * *

_Hinata_…

Hinata opened her eyes to bright sunlight pouring into the room. She was almost certain that she had heard Naruto's voice.

Then she remembered. _Naruto_!

The spot next to her was now empty. It was almost as if the blonde-headed boy had never been there.

_Maybe it was just a dream_.

But Hinata was no fool. He had been the intoxicated one, not her. She could still feel his body next to hers, the warmth of his hand, those blue eyes…

She sighed, shaking her head. That wasn't important right now.

_Why did he leave_?

_More importantly…why do I care so much_?


	11. Eleven

**Eleven**

"You asshole." Shikamaru shoved Naruto, but not too hard. "You had us worried! We couldn't find you."

Naruto gave him a sheepish grin. "Sorry about that."

"Where in the hell did you go, anyway?" Neji eyed him warily. "You completely disappeared…"

As the others looked at him expectantly, Naruto's smile slowly disappeared as he recalled the events of that morning. _Hinata…I hope I didn't do or say anything stupid_.

"Naruto?"

He glanced up, breaking away from his thoughts. "Nowhere important."

"Or you don't remember, because you drank so much," Kiba remarked, and the others laughed a little.

"Screw you," Naruto said, punching him in the arm. He was just glad that they weren't asking any more questions about it. He couldn't even answer some questions of his own that he had.

* * *

"Hinata-sama, your father wants to see you."

Hinata looked up from the pile of clothes on her bed. "All right." She finished folding up a pair of pants before getting to her feet, stretching out the small crick in her neck. _Anything to take a break from all of this laundry! I wonder what oto-san wants_…

Her father put down his pen when she walked into his office. "Have a seat, Hinata."

She made sure to close the door behind her, and slowly sat down before her father. He finally glanced up from what he was doing, and gave her a small smile.

"Don't worry, you're not in trouble."

Hinata relaxed a little, unclasping her hands.

"I will be gone for a week," he said, looking right at her. "I am taking Hanabi with me on a trip."

"O-Oh, okay," Hinata nodded, not surprised at this. After all, it's not like she was in any shape to be going places—she didn't have her Byakugan, or…

"I want you to stay here and be in charge while we're gone."

She wondered if she had heard him correctly. "M-M-Me?" _But…why not Neji?_...

As if he had read her mind, he nodded and replied, "Neji will be too preoccupied with more pressing matters…so you're the only one who can."

"Oh." Of course. Hinata didn't find this as a surprise, either. She began to wonder if any of them would think differently of her if she still had her Byakugan, her ability to even be a shinobi—probably not. She was practically useless now. At least she could do _something _back then, even if she hadn't necessarily been the strongest in her father's eyes.

"I'm sure you'll do a fine job." He gave her a reassuring smile, and picked up his pen. Hinata took this as her cue to leave, and slowly stood up.

"Thank you, oto-san. I, I won't let you down!"

As she headed backto her room, her mind began to wander. Lately, her father was being a little nicer than normal. It was probably because he felt sorry for her—she was helpless, unable to make the Hyuuga family proud.

All of a sudden, she felt like crying.

Instead of giving in to her tears, Hinata returned to her room to finish up the laundry. As she was smoothing out a wrinkle, her mind wandered to last night—and Naruto.

_He had been here_, she thought as she folded a shirt and placed it into a pile. _He was here, on my bed_.

_"Please…Hinata, stay with me. I need you…_"

She held up her hand, still remembering the comforting warmth of his hand around hers.

_He was drunk, you idiot_, she reminded herself, putting her hand back down. _He didn't know what the hell he was doing_.

But—something was nagging her, and she couldn't keep hiding it away, setting it aside to be solved later.

_Why? Why does it matter so much_?

Hinata tightened her grip on the article of clothing in her hands, and felt her heart rate start to increase. She saw Naruto's smile, and her face grew hot. _Why, why, why_? _He's just a childhood friend. Or—was. Until the accident_…

_I don't understand._

_ I don't know why I feel like this…I just _**feel **_it…inside…it's there, slowly developing within my heart…crushing my ribs, turning my stomach inside out…until I can barely breathe anymore. It's all because…of…_**him**.

"Oh no," she said aloud, and held her head in her hands. "I've officially lost it.

"I…I think…I think I…I love him." She squeezed her eyes shut, and a tear streamed down her cheek. _What am I going to do? I love Naruto_.

_Too bad he doesn't feel the same way_.

* * *

Naruto had felt like absolute shit all morning, and wasn't feeling much better even after having ramen for lunch. He cursed himself for drinking so much the night before, and vowed not to do it again anytime soon.

_But it was all because of—_

_ No_, he shook his head firmly, _don't. There's nothing you can do about it_.

He stood up and stretched, reaching up towards the ceiling. He had to do whatever he could to stay busy—to stay occupied.

If he didn't, his mind would begin to wander…and the thought of a certain raven-haired girl would just drive him to drink again.

Lately, she was having that effect on him, and he had no clue why.

Or, he just didn't want to admit the truth.


	12. Twelve

**Twelve**

It was the day that Hanabi and her father were set to leave, and Hinata actually wasn't really looking forward to it. Being in charge wasn't what bothered her—the fact that she was going to feel even more alone did.

"Don't spend the entire day moping around now, sister," Hanabi told her, as they stood in the doorway at the front of their compound exchanging their goodbyes. She leaned in to give Hinata a hug, and then whispered in her ear so that their father wouldn't hear: "You really should tell him, you know."

"B-But I—" Hinata blushed, and then remembered they weren't alone. She couldn't very well admit to her sister that she had been right all along, especially not with their father standing right there.

"See ya, Hinata." Hanabi let go and smirked knowingly at her, before walking away with their father.

"T-Take care!" Hinata managed a small wave at their retreating figures, still flustered by Hanabi's comment.

_Am I that easy to read_?

* * *

Instead of staying inside "moping around" all day, Hinata decided to go fetch some ingredients to make herself strawberry shortcake. Maybe she would even give some to Tenten and the other girls—if there was any left over.

_See_, she thought to herself as she made her way through town, _I'm not moping about_. _I'm not even thinking about—_

"Naruto-kun?" She stopped in her tracks at the sight of the blonde, who was perusing the same stand that she was heading towards. She quickly covered her mouth and ducked behind the nearest tall banner, remembering that they weren't exactly on speaking terms. When she carefully peered around the edge to look at him, he was still there, luckily still unaware of her presence.

Her heartbeat gradually slowed down as she turned back around, debating on what she should do.

_"You really should tell him, you know."_

Her heart dropped into her stomach in terror. _No! That would be suicide_…

_But this is pretty ridiculous_, she told herself, _I can't hide from him or avoid him forever_. _It's not like we can't completely stay away from each other_…

Before she could stop herself, she left the safety of the banner and stepped out towards him.

But he was no longer there.

_Oh_. She let out a sigh, relieved but at the same time a bit disappointed. Well, at least not she could peruse in peace, with no worries…

"Excuse me, I think I left my wallet here…" A familiar voice sent chills up her spine. "…Hinata? Is that you?"

She let go of the box of strawberries that she had been holding and slowly turned around. "H-H-Hi, Naruto-kun." To her dismay, she felt her cheeks flush once she saw those bright blue eyes looking at her.

He held on to his recently re-acquired wallet (Gama-chan :3), giving her a small smile. "How are you? What are you doing here for?"

Hinata found it hard to breathe, just looking at him and being near him. _How have I never noticed before_?

_He's_…

"Um…are you okay?" His smile slowly faded as he peered closely at her, concerned. She could feel his breath and the warmth of his skin, he was so close—it was almost like the other night…her heart raced even more at the memory.

"Hinata?" He reached up, about to place his hand on her shoulder, then stopped and slowly let it drop back down to his side.

She snapped out of it finally, and her eyes focused back onto him. "O-Oh! I'm sorry." She blushed even further than she already was. "I, I was getting some things—to m-make strawberry shortcake—"

He smiled again, nearly melting her into a puddle. "That sounds delicious."

She managed a small smile back, and suddenly missed him so much that it was unbearable—even though he was standing right in front of her, it still wasn't the same as things used to be. But she couldn't bring herself to actually say any of this out loud.

"Well, it was nice seeing you," Naruto said, breaking the awkward silence. "I guess I'll see you around." He gave her a tiny wave, and turned to walk away.

Hinata almost just let him go, like always. _Almost_.

"Wait!" She found herself reaching out, grabbing a hold of his arm. It had been a knee-jerk reaction, almost like a reflex, and she was even surprised at herself. Naruto stopped and turned around to face her again, a look of surprise on his face.

"Do…do you remember…what you said to me…the other n-night?"

He stared at her blankly, and then realized what she was talking about. "I—"

"Do you remember anything at all?"

She looked him straight in the eye, despite feeling weak at the knees as she did so. He didn't say anything, and for a moment she contemplated on just dropping the subject completely.

"I…don't remember what I said to you—just, that I was drunk, and I fell asleep…" He looked down at the ground, a bit ashamed that he had let her see him in such a sorry state.

_Just as I thought_. Hinata slowly let go of him, losing all hope. Suddenly, she could feel tears coming on, but desperately held them back. "W-Why did you leave?" Her voice was shaking now, and she glanced away, trying not to make eye contact with him. She couldn't.

Naruto turned his gaze back onto her, hearing the break in her voice. "I…Hinata…" He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes. "I already told you…you'd be better off staying away from me. I'm…too dangerous." _And I don't want to hurt you_.

She began to tremble, despite her efforts to disguise her true emotions. "You said that you needed me. You…told me…to stay with you." A tear strayed down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away, now looking at him.

Naruto's eyes widened a little. _I said that_? His heart rate began to increase. _Hinata_…He looked at her, wanting to make up somehow for everything he's done to her…but knew that he couldn't put her at risk anymore. He had already done enough.

"I'm sorry, Hinata…" He said, sincerely meaning it. "…but this is what's best for you. I'm sorry…" He slowly turned and began to walk away, before he could change his mind.

Hinata watched him slip out of her reach once again, no longer numb to the pain and sadness that had been building up inside of her. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn't care if people were staring at her.

The heartache that she was experiencing only confirmed her love for Naruto, and she couldn't do anything about it.


	13. Thirteen

**Thirteen**

Naruto tossed and turned for hours in his bed that night. No matter what he did, he couldn't seem to fall asleep.

But he already knew why. He was feeling guilty—for leaving Hinata alone, letting her cry, because he could tell that she had been holding it back in front of him. He was feeling guilty for doing a lot of things to her and causing her pain, and for not being able to make any of it up to her. All he wanted was to be around her, to take it away, but he knew that he couldn't. Staying away was the best solution to keep her safe, and that was what mattered to him the most. This was all that he could do for her.

Lately, Naruto found himself thinking about the raven-haired girl a lot. He _did _miss their friendship, and when they had been young, with no worries or cares. After all, he had had no one. Now, it was a little different—more people accepted and liked him—but still, she had been the first to truly be his friend, to make him feel like he wasn't completely worthless.

_Did I really say that_? He opened his eyes, staring up into the darkness of his room. _Did I really tell her that I needed her_? _Shit, I really can't remember anything_. He slung an arm across his forehead and breathed in deeply, tired of all of these scattered thoughts keeping him awake.

_Well_, he thought to himself, _I do need Hinata…but I could never tell her that_.

Suddenly, he could practically hear her cute, quiet laugh; see her blushing whenever he said something that took her off guard—and he missed her. He missed everything about her, and how good she made him feel.

He closed his eyes, trying desperately to banish these thoughts and feelings. _I'm sorry, Hinata_.

* * *

_-One week later-_

There was loud, urgent knocking on her bedroom door. "Hinata-sama, are you awake?"

Hinata slowly sat up, still half-asleep. _What on earth—_? It was still pretty early. She tried rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she trudged over to the door.

"…Hinata-sama?"

"Mmrrrgh." She opened the door and rubbed her eyes again, yawning. "What's the matter?"

"I'm sorry to bother you so early, ma'am," the man at the door said. One of the many guardians of the Hyuugas. "The Hokage is requesting your presence immediately. She says it is urgent." He took a small bow and was about to walk away, then stopped. "Do you need an escort?"

She sleepily waved him off. "No thank you…I'm, I'm fine."

_What is going on_? Hinata closed her door and yawned again. _What could she want with me_? She pondered on this further as she slipped into her clothes, and slowly made her way outside.

When she reached the door to the Hokage's office, she carefully knocked before heading in.

"Good morning, Hinata." Lady Tsunade was looking down at the papers on her desk, writing. "Have a seat."

Hinata made her way over to the chair in front of the desk and sat down, nervously fiddling with a strand of hair. She was hardly ever summoned by the Hokage. _Why am I here now_?

Finally, Lady Tsunade put down her writing utensil and focused her gaze onto Hinata, looking extremely serious.

"I'm afraid that I have some very bad news for you."

Hinata met her gaze, and let go of her hair. She wasn't so sure that she wanted to hear this.

There was a hint of sorrow in the older woman's eyes as she continued. "There's no easy way to say this…but your father and sister were accidentally killed in a skirmish between some rogue ninja—"

Hinata barely even heard the rest. Her heart stopped, and everything was becoming blurry. _Dead…dead…dead_?

"No," she insisted, standing up and holding on to the edge of the desk so she wouldn't fall. "No! You're—you're lying!" She began to tremble, breathing heavily.

Lady Tsunade could only look at her sadly. "I'm sorry Hinata…some of the Anbu confirmed it to be true last night."

The room was spinning. Hinata squeezed her eyes shut, desperate to escape this hellish nightmare. _Oto-san…Hanabi_…

Suddenly, everything grew black, and she blanked.

"Hinata!" Lady Tsunade quickly stood up and kneeled by the now unconscious girl, checking her pulse. "Shizune! We need to get her to the hospital, now!"

* * *

Naruto was eating his second bowl of ramen at Ichiraku when Sakura ran up to him, breathless.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," he said, putting down his chopsticks. "What's up? Were you running?—"

"Did you hear?" She looked at him, her expression grave. "Hinata's father and sister…they were killed…now she's in the hospital, she fainted…"

"W-What?" Naruto glanced over at her, not believing his ears. "Hinata?..." He immediately took off, forgetting all about the rest of his lunch.

"N-Naruto?" Sakura turned to watch as he ran off in the other direction.

* * *

Hinata slowly opened her eyes, confused for a moment about where she was and what was happening.

When she sat up, she realized that she was in a hospital room—and it all painfully came back to her.

_They're dead…gone_.

Her body began to shake when she remembered, and she was still in a state of disbelief. _How could you guys die_, she thought as tears streamed down her face. _You should've never left_! She held her head in her trembling hands, wanting the pain to stop.

_I should be the one dead, not you guys_… Hinata pounded her fists into her head, desperately trying to drown out the growing pain in her chest. _I'm the useless one!_

_ Useless…useless…useless…use_—

Someone had grabbed onto her fists before they hit her head again, and she struggled to slip out of their grip, keeping her teary eyes shut. "Let me go!"

When the person didn't, she finally stopped and opened her eyes.

Naruto stood in front of her, holding onto her wrists.

"Naruto—please—let go." She tried to wrench herself out of his grip, but he held on tight, still not saying anything. "Please…" She shut her eyes and hysterically raised her voice. "Leave me be!"

He lowered her hands, and then enveloped her in his arms tightly. She eventually stopped squirming, and then shakily sobbed into his shoulder, finally giving up. Naruto held onto her and placed his head on top of hers, smoothing down her hair gently with his hand. "I'm so sorry, Hinata," he whispered, not really knowing what else to say.

She sniffled, and then grew quiet for a minute.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Hmm?"

"Please…stay with me…" She tightened her arms around him. "I need you."

He took in a deep breath, and nuzzled his face in her hair. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

"Please…" she begged quietly. "Please, don't go."

"I won't," he reassured her, and really meant it.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey everyone! I'm sorry if you don't like that I decided to make Hinata's father and sister die :c it's mostly to add some drama to the story, plus it brought Naruto to Hinata, didn't it? (; but thank goodness it doesn't really happen in the actual series! D: anyways, I want to give my sincere appreciation thanks to you all for reading, reviewing, and favoriting/following my stories, it really means so much :3


	14. Fourteen

**Fourteen**

Hinata slowly opened her eyes, and found that it was a little bit darker in the room than it normally would be on a sunny day. The sound of rain and occasional thunder provided the answer as to why that was, and she slowly sat up in the bed. It was then that she noticed Naruto next to her—but he was fast asleep, his face inches away from her right hand.

_He really…stayed_? Hinata stared down at him, wondering if she was imagining things. Before she could really stop herself, she carefully reached over and gently touched his face, his cheek warm beneath her cool hand. He didn't move even as she did this, and she was grateful for that. Her heart began to beat faster as she felt the smoothness of his skin on her fingertips.

She couldn't stop staring at him, it was like she was drawn to him. She _was _drawn to him.

_He's so beautiful_, she thought to herself, _my heart hurts_. She moved her hand to lightly touch his hair. _So soft_.

_What am I doing_?

She pulled her hand away, her cheeks flushing and heart practically beating out of her chest. _He would never feel the same way about me. I'm…nobody_.

Hinata closed her eyes and turned away from him, trying to pretend that he wasn't there.

* * *

For once, Naruto didn't have any nightmares. He dreamt of Hinata, and when they had been kids.

_"Let's be friends. Maybe even best friends. Okay?"_

_ "Okay."_

_ "Please…stay with me…I need you._"

When he woke up, he immediately checked and noticed that Hinata was gone.

He was worried—he had never seen her as hysterical as she had been the day before. He didn't want to let her out of his sight—what if she tried something?...

His heart sank into his stomach. _Hinata…I ruined your life…and now, it's even worse…what am I going to do_?

Naruto slowly got to his feet, glancing back at the dent in the bed sheets where Hinata had slept. His heart hurt for her. Staying away from her was becoming increasingly difficult, and now, he was beginning to understand why.

He quickly left the room and hospital, determined to go find someone that he suddenly really needed to talk to.

* * *

"Uzumaki? What do you want?"

Neji stood in the doorway, staring at Naruto with a slightly displeased look on his face. His eyes had a hint of red in them, and there were dark circles beneath his eyes. Clearly he hadn't taken the bad news any better than his cousin had.

"I know this is a bad time…" Naruto gave him an apologetic look, but continued on. "I'm really sorry…but I need to talk to you about something important."

Neji slowly uncrossed his arms. "What?"

"It's…about Hinata."

After this, neither of them said anything for a moment, and then Neji finally broke the rain-filled silence.

"What about her?"

Naruto took in a deep breath, his heart dropping at the mere mention of her. "I can't do this anymore."

"Do…what?" Neji peered suspiciously at him, his hand on the door twitching a little.

"I can't stay away from her anymore," Naruto said, one of his hands clenching into a fist. "It's killing me, Neji—I, I need her. And she needs me…now more than ever."

Neji remained silent, no longer looking at him. He had let go of the door, and now pinched the hem of his shirt tightly, his eyes on the ground.

"It really wasn't you fault, you know," he finally said quietly. "It was an accident…her father was just too stubborn…" He fixed his lavender eyes back onto Naruto. "And now, he's gone…" He slowly shook his head. "Hinata—she's really missed you, you know. She didn't care about not being a shinobi anymore as much as she cared about losing you."

Naruto was beyond soaked by now from standing in the rain, but he didn't care.

"I know that I shouldn't…" He closed his eyes, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "But I want to be by Hinata's side from now on." He opened his eyes to look over at Neji again. "I…I love her."

Neji looked at him knowingly, without a trace of surprise in his face. "I knew that."

The rain was beginning to lighten up a little, going from a steady stream to a drizzle. As if in sync with the weather, Naruto's heartbeat slowed as well, gradually calming down.

"Don't stay away from her anymore," Neji continued, "because it's been hurting her, too. Her father is no longer around to keep you away—whether we like it or not." He took in a deep breath. "Hinata…she deserves to be happy."

Naruto remained silent, unsure of what to say. All he could think about was Hinata, and how much he wanted to see her smile again.

"Uzumaki…you don't need my approval, or her father's…or anyone's. You just need hers, and that's all that matters."

The rain finally came to a complete stop, and the sun began to shine through the clouds.


	15. Fifteen

**Fifteen**

_I didn't want to leave him…_

_ I had to_.

Hinata hurried towards the compound, shivering from the cold rain that was soaking through her clothes.

She was glad that she had woken up before Naruto had, or she wouldn't have known what to do. After letting him see her like that—so vulnerable, raw, and hysterical—she was embarrassed. She didn't want to be a burden anymore, so she had left before he could see her again.

Besides, she didn't think her heart could take anymore Naruto.

When Hinata finally reached her bedroom, she changed into dry clothes before climbing into her bed. She pulled the covers up over her head and squeezed her eyes shut, desperate to escape the outside world and everything in it.

_I'll just stay here…so I don't run into Naruto anymore_.

But deep down inside, she knew that this was easier said than done.

* * *

_-Two days later-_

Neji made his way down the quiet hall towards his cousin's room, not really looking forward to the day's events.

_Hinata's refused to leave her room—or even her bed—for the past few days…she must really be taking this hard_. He reached the door and saw that one of their guardians was about to knock. Before he could, Neji spoke up.

"I'll get her. I want to tell her."

The man lowered his hand and nodded, then bowed slightly before walking away.

Neji took in a deep breath, then carefully knocked twice. "Hinata? It's—it's Neji." He heard the bed creak a little, and a minute later the door slowly opened.

"Hina—" He stopped when he saw her face. He could tell that she had cried—a lot. And there were large, dark circles beneath her eyes. She finally met his gaze, and he saw how exhausted she really was—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

"I know," she said quietly, almost inaudible. "Their funeral's today."

He just looked at her some more, unsure of what to say next. Then he slowly nodded, and that was when she burst into tears.

Neji hadn't expected that, but he still reached over and held onto his crying cousin. "Hinata…"

"N-N-Neji," she said between her sniffles, "I just want this nightmare to be over."

His heart sank, and he held on tighter, refusing to cry. "Me too."

* * *

Naruto rolled over in his bed and glanced at the clock through sleepy eyes. When he saw the time, they widened.

"Wasn't there something important today?" He immediately sat up, his sleepiness fading. Then his expression grew somber when he remembered. "Oh…yeah…"

He remained in bed for a bit, debating on what he should do.

_I really shouldn't be there…I don't want to burden Hinata when she's already going to feel burdened enough as it is today…but_…

His hand slowly curled into a fist, and he looked down at it.

_I promised that I wouldn't leave her_.

Decision made, he quickly climbed out of bed and changed into black clothes. _She needs me more than I need her right now. I have to be there. My feelings are going to have to wait_.

* * *

"Are you sure that you'll be all right?"

Neji was looking at her, almost afraid that she would suddenly burst into tears. Hinata didn't, just simply nodded at him and forced a small smile upon her face.

"I'm fine. I just want to be alone."

He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile before turning to walk away.

Hinata watched him go, and then turned back around to face her father and sister's graves.

She lowered herself to the ground and took a seat in the soft grass, maintaining her blank stare on the two tombstones before her.

During the funeral, she didn't cry. She had felt too numb—as if she had cried out all of her tears with the crying she had done in the past two days. Even Neji had shed a few tears—nothing big, but still…she had stood there next to him, an empty, emotionless shell.

She reached out to touch her father's name etched into the stone, and then Hanabi's. The reality of the situation finally hit her, and crushed her heart like a heavy weight. Now, she was crying, after suppressing it for the past hour.

"I'm so sorry," she whimpered, her hands lowering and clenching onto the blades of grass around her. "I failed you…I tried to be strong…but I became worthless…" She sniffled. "I let you down. And Hanabi…I didn't even know you that well…I'm so sorry…" She began to sob harder. "It should have been me! I should have d-died, back t-then…and not you n-n-now…" She ripped up clumps of grass and threw it all at the graves, her heart beginning to pound loud in her ears. "How c-could you both just leave me here? I, I, I can't…I c-can't be alone…" She hugged herself, trying to stop the uncontrollably trembling of her body.

"Please don't leave me here," she whispered, almost as if they could actually hear her plea. "Please…"

She was shaking so much that she almost didn't feel the warm, familiar arms wrapping around her body and pulling her close to the warmth of another body.

Then she felt the calm breathing in her hair, and suddenly grew quiet.

"N-Naruto-kun…?"

He said nothing, but she knew it was him. The smell…the warmth…his face in her hair…these arms…it all felt like home. No one else could ever make her feel this way.

She sniffled some more, and buried her tear-soaked face further into his chest, feeling the steady beating of his heart on her cheek.

He tightened his arms around her, and they stayed like that for a while, silent in one another's arms.


	16. Sixteen

**Sixteen**

"Hinata?"

Naruto finally broke the silence when he noticed that her sniffling had subsided and she was no longer shaking. He loosened his grip a little so that he could look down at her.

The poor girl was asleep, beyond worn out. He sighed, and carefully shifted a bit so that she lay on her back, leaning up against his arm.

He carefully cradled her in his arm, and slowly reached over with his other free hand to move strands of hair out of her face.

_At least she looks peaceful now_, he thought, staring down at her pale face in the moonlight. _We shouldn't stay here—it's getting late_. But Hinata sighed a little in her sleep, and Naruto found that he didn't want to move.

_You've been through so much_, he thought, still watching her. _I wasn't there to catch you as you fell…_

_ I'm so sorry_.

* * *

Hinata hadn't remembered falling asleep, but when she saw that it was still dark outside and Naruto was still holding onto her, she knew that she hadn't been asleep for too long.

She slowly glanced up at Naruto's face, and saw that his eyes were closed. _Is he asleep—_? Her hand trailed up to his face and gently grazed his cheek, her heart pounding a million miles a minute. _Why do you always do this to me_?

His eyes slowly opened and moved to look down at her, but she didn't move her hand—at least, not right away.

"Hinata?" He finally spoke, his blue eyes slightly darker than normal. She carefully sat up and turned her body to face him, after barely realizing how close they had been. Her cheeks felt warm, and she knew that she probably looked ridiculously red in the face.

"I, I'm sorry," she blurted, shifting her eyes downward in embarrassment. "I—I should probably get going now—" As she was getting to her feet, Naruto reached out and grabbed her hand.

"No…wait." Now he was standing as well, still holding onto her hand.

Hinata turned around to look at him, her eyes wide in surprise. "Na…Naruto-kun…?"

His gaze on her was so intense; it made her feel weak in the knees. _What is it_, she thought desperately as her eyes met his, _what are you thinking_? She hated that he made her feel so—crazy. _No…I don't…hate it…but_…

"Hinata," he said softly, loosening his grip on her hand, but still not completely letting go. "I can't…I can't stay away from you anymore."

Her heart began to beat even faster than it already was. "Wh…What? She couldn't believe her ears. _Is he really—_

"I know that I'm no good for you," he continued, and she could hear his voice starting to crack a little. "I almost killed you…I still could. But…" He looked down at their joined hands, and then took her other hand in his free one. "I can't…I can't do it. I need you, Hinata. So damn much."

Hinata still couldn't believe this was happening. All she could do was stand there and stare, at a loss for words.

He glanced back up at her again, and that was when she noticed his eyes were a bit misty.

"Nar—"

"I'm so sorry, Hinata," he interrupted, squeezing her hands tightly in his. She could feel him trembling slightly. "It's all my fault that you're like this now…if we hadn't met or become friends, then maybe you could still—"

"Naruto." She finally found the courage to speak, looking him straight in the eye. "It wasn't your fault…you've got to stop blaming yourself." Suddenly, she felt like wanting to cry herself, but held back the urge. "I…It hasn't been easy. I admit it. But _it wasn't your fault_." She took in a shaky breath. "I was more hurt because…I didn't really understand why you were trying to stay away from me…"

"I didn't want to hurt you anymore," he replied, and a stray tear trailed down his cheek. "But then I realized…I can't live like this…without you." He wiped away the tear, and held onto her hand again. "It's because…I love you, Hinata."

Everything seemed to stop—time, her rapidly beating heart, her ability to breathe…now Hinata was the one shaking a little, shocked by what she had just heard. _You…love…me…_? _I..._

"Hinata," Naruto broke her out of her temporary reverie, pulling her a little closer to him. "Back then, when we were young…no one liked me. No one cared. I was alone…but _you_…you saved me from the hell that I was living. You made me feel like I was actually worth something. You were my salvation, Hinata…and still are. You're the only one who can save me from myself."

Their noses were almost touching now, and poor Hinata was practically breathless. She barely managed to speak.

"B-But…I'm, no good for you," she whispered. "I'm…worthless…I can't do anything…just, an ordinary girl…"

"But you're not," Naruto said almost as quietly, and took another step closer, pulling her in. Hinata felt the warmth of his face near hers, and then his lips on hers, and she closed her eyes before enveloping him in her arms.

_Finally_.


	17. Seventeen

**Seventeen**

It had been almost a week since the funeral and Naruto's stunning confession, and Hinata had been in a dream-like state ever since. They saw each other every day, but the blonde still managed to make her heart flutter and tie up her tongue.

But she was incredibly happy, and hoped that he felt the same way.

"Hinata-sama?" There was a knock at her door. "The Uzumaki boy is here to see you."

"Y-Y-Yes!" She stammered, and almost fell out of bed. She wasn't even dressed yet! Trying to hide the panic in her voice, she called out, "Just a few more minutes!"

After quickly throwing on her clothes and brushing her hair, she took in a deep breath before opening the door.

A pair of bright blue eyes stared back at her, and she couldn't help but smile at the familiar sight.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" Naruto grinned at her, taking one of her hands in his and kissing it. "Were you going to sleep all day, Hina?"

"Oh n-no, I-I—" Hinata stammered, an embarrassed blush creeping onto her face.

"I'm kidding," he chuckled a little, music to her ears. "Trust me, I'm worse than you."

She giggled softly. "Naruto-kun, you're already teasing me?"

"Will _these_ make up for it?" He held up a bag filled with fresh muffins. She knew she had smelled something sweet in the air! "Cranberry nut, your faaavorite."

The smile on her face grew even wider. "Naru—you didn't have to! I—"

"Shh," he interrupted, already moving past her to sit on the edge of the bed. "Just say that you forgive me, and come help me eat these." He patted the space next to him, and she obliged.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." She glanced over at him, sincerely meaning it—her heartfelt thanks for more than just the breakfast.

He looked up and smiled at her, also sincere. "You don't have to thank me, silly…anything for you."

Hinata returned his smile before taking the muffin from his outstretched hand.

* * *

"W-Where are we going?"

Hinata was struggling to keep up with Naruto's pace, and even with him holding onto her hand she still found it hard to keep up.

"Don't worry, we're almost there," he replied, still not giving anything away.

They finally reached the Konoha graveyard, and then she put two and two together.

"We're—going to see—Hanabi and oto-san?" Her fingers tightened around his hand, uncertain of whether or not she could handle this yet—even with Naruto by her side, she didn't want to have any more breakdowns or moments of hysteria around him.

Naruto squeezed her hand and glanced back at her reassuringly before they reached the Hyuuga tombstones. "Don't worry, Hinata…it won't be for too long. I'm right here with you."

She slowly nodded, and then turned to look at where her dead sister and father lay, still hesitant. The daisies he had left on their graves earlier that week had dried and withered in the sun, but were still there nonetheless. She took in a shaky breath. _It's okay_, she comforted herself. _Naruto's here with me_.

"Why are we here, anyway?" she asked aloud, still looking down at her deceased family members.

At first, Naruto didn't answer right away, but then he smiled at her. "I wanted to talk to your father."

Hinata glanced over at him in surprise, but saw that the smile on his face was sincere. She wanted to say something, but found it difficult to put her words together.

_To…my…father_? She turned back towards the graves again, reading the letters etched into the stone for the millionth time that week. _Like what_?

Naruto was facing where Hanabi and Hiashi lay now, still holding onto Hinata's hand. Before she could say anything else, he finally spoke—but not to her.

"Mr. Hyuuga-sama," he said carefully, in a more serious tone than before. "I know that you don't want me to be near your daughter—and I don't blame you. I'm no good for her."

Hinata opened her mouth to protest, but felt him nudge her hand a little and she stopped, eventually letting him go on.

"I understand why you did what you did, though," he said, a bit quieter now. "You wouldn't be the only one who felt that way about me."

Hinata moved to look at him now, her eyes lingering on his face. _Naruto_…

"Hinata, she saved me…saved me from myself. She has stuck with me all this time. The best that I can do for her now…is to help her feel loved with all I have and to stay…so she doesn't have to be alone." He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "But…I can't leave Hinata alone. I'm sorry…I'm selfish. I _need_ her. I love your daughter very much."

Her heart nearly stopped, taking her breath away—despite this being the second time she's heard these words. She kept her gaze on him, even though he wasn't looking at her. It felt like her entire body was going to just melt into a puddle then and there, so she held onto Naruto's warm hand to stabilize herself.

"Please forgive me," he continued, his voice a little stronger than before. "But I promise you, I will do everything in my power to protect and love this girl…no matter what. I will do anything to make sure that I never hurt her again."

Hinata was crying now, hot tears streaming down her face. She reached up with her other hand to wipe her face, desperately trying to prevent Naruto from noticing her trembling and crying.

"So please…" Naruto closed his eyes, squeezing Hinata's hand tight. "Please…let me stay by her side. I will take care of her for you. I damn well need her—and she needs me." He slowly knelt down to touch Hiashi's tombstone, and even Hanabi's. "I promise to be nice to your sister for you."

It was getting more difficult to contain her sniffling and tears now, but Hinata was no longer worried about this. She had never felt so lucky, or loved—in her entire life. Yes, her father and sister were gone…but now she had Naruto, and she could finally feel the intensity of his care and love for her.

Naruto stood up, and finally looked at her. "Hinata?"

She quickly turned away from him, embarrassed. Before she could completely wipe her face, he placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her back around.

"Hinata…Hinata, look at me."

She finally moved her eyes up to meet his, and to her surprise she saw that his were a little misty as well. "Nar—"

"Shh," he said softly, gently wiping away her tears. "It's okay. I know." He gave her that beautiful smile of his, and she couldn't help but tear up again.

"Oh, Hinata." Naruto took a step closer and took her in his arms, nuzzling his face in her hair. "Don't cry, silly."

She held onto him tightly, her face buried into his shoulder.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Hmm?" His voice tickled near her ear.

"Did you…did you really m-mean all of t-that?" She sniffled.

She could feel him smile, even through her hair. "Of course, Hina. Every word."

She closed her eyes and breathed him in, feeling a smile creep onto her tear-stained face.

"I…I love you, Naruto-kun."

"I love you too," he replied, and planted a kiss onto her forehead. "I'm here to stay with you, always."

* * *

**A/N: Meh, the ending's all right, I suppose. But WOW I have so many feels right now...why is NaruHina so freakin' cute? I CAN'T.**

**Anyways, thanks mucho for reading/reviewing/favoriting/etc.! I really do appreciate each and every one of you (: I am definitely looking forward to working on yet another fic, which will probably be out soon enough! **


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